September 18th: steak and mushroom pot pie

My favourite meal of all time - the one I would request on my deathbed - is my mom's steak and mushroom pie, with puff pastry crust. Only, on my deathbed, I would have it all to myself, because there is never enough to go around. I didn't quite recreate this tonight, but I made a variation on it, and it turned out pretty well. We three were impressed. In my case, rather than using a good quality steak, quickly cooked, I had pulled some stewing beef out of the freezer, so I got that simmering and left it for an hour while I napped, then went back to the kitchen and proceeded to make the rest of the recipe. I had intended to put both carrots and potatoes in the pie too, but I was tired after spending the night before with friends from out of town, then getting up to teach a class in the morning and finally heading out of town for a baby shower, so I ended up going simple and the pie was filled with just beef and mushrooms, with a touch of onion and garlic. I could eat mushrooms till the cows come home and it tasted great ... though more veggies would have upped the filling-ness of it, as well as the health quotient. Ah well, here is what I came up with:


Steak and Mushroom Pot Pie - long-cooking variation


canola oil
1 lb stewing beef, cut into bite-sized pieces
freshly ground black pepper
2 cups beef stock
1 bay leaf


[options to add potatoes and carrots here! - 1-2 of each]


1 cup diced onions
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound mushrooms, any variety, chopped


1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp all-purpose flour


1/2 397 g package frozen puff pastry, thawed


1 egg, beaten (optional)


Heat the canola oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. When hot, add beef and season to taste with pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid evaporates, 10-15 minutes. When pan is starting to dry out, pour in stock and add bay leaf. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for at least one hour. Nap if necessary.

[If using potatoes and carrots, chop them and add them to the pot at the end of the hour, simmering until just cooked, 10-15 minutes.]

Using a slotted spoon, remove meat [and any veggies] to a bowl and set aside. Pour liquid into a 2-cup measuring cup and set aside. Return Dutch oven to stovetop, increase heat to medium, and add canola oil.

When hot, add diced onions, and cook, stirring frequently, until onions soften, 4-5 minutes. If onions start to burn, reduce heat. Add minced garlic and stir for 1 more minute. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, another 5 minutes. Then stir in Worcestershire sauce. Sprinkle flour over mixture and stir frequently for 2 minutes.

Meanwhile, add enough water to the measuring cup to bring the liquid amount back to 2 cups. Add all of liquid to pot, stirring to deglaze pot. Return meat and vegetables to pot and simmer gently.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Roll out puff pastry to 1/4-inch thickness. When oven is hot, remove bay leaf from pot and pour pie filling into an 8-inch square baking dish. Place puff pastry overtop, covering to sides, and folding or crimping sides in as necessary. Slice vent(s) in centre of crust to allow steam to escape. If desired, brush pastry with egg.

Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, until top is golden and puffed and filling is bubbling. Remove from oven, let stand several minutes, then slice and serve.

Makes 4 servings, unless you are on your deathbed, in which case, enjoy the whole dish yourself!